


Serendipity

by Im_The_Doctor (Bofur1)



Category: Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: Banter, Companionable Snark, Dating, Developing Relationship, Dinner, Dress Up, Emotionally Repressed, Established Relationship, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, F/M, Flirting, Mystery, Nervousness, Pre-Earth Transformers, Rare Pairings, Romantic Fluff, Shyness, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 12:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10944168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Im_The_Doctor
Summary: Quickshadow is hiding something and High Tide is determined to figure it out; he's never been too fond of surprises, but she's not training in covert operations for nothing. She likes to keep him guessing.





	Serendipity

Tonight was supposed to be their third outing as a…

…as a…

Something in High Tide’s internals clenched up at the thought: he was part of something, part of a _couple_. It wasn’t something he had planned either, which normally would bother him. He wasn’t fond of surprises, but that was exactly what this relationship was; since the very beginning, it had been nothing but a slippery fall into one surprise after another. First he and Quickshadow were apart and then, _now_ , they were together. The change was a good one, but it made him a bit jittery. Who knew when the next surprise would come along?

Outwardly, he might seem like the same stalwart seamech, capable of standing through things that would send other mechs flying. Internally, he wondered if scraplets were gnawing on all of his systems, making them spit and spark until he felt slightly sick. It wasn’t particularly easy to focus on steering with a mischievous femme— _his_ femme—revving her systems and bumping him from behind either.

“Y’know, sweetspark, I don’t think I’m in the mood for Maccadam’s tonight. Shall we try something a little more…high-end? Turn to your right up here,” Quickshadow instructed without warning or waiting for an answer.

 _There it is: the surprise of the night_. High Tide swerved slightly, an alt. mode shrug that was slightly more jerky than usual, and moved past Maccadam’s entrance to make the turn, calling back with some irritation, “You could’ve spoken up sometime before we were right in front of the place, pearl.” He happened to like Maccadam’s and as far as he knew, she had no problem with it. Why the sudden change?

“Oh, but I like to keep you guessing,” Quickshadow purred, bumping him again with an accompanying tickle of static. “Go on, straight ahead.”

Upon following her directions, High Tide pulled himself out of alt. mode and found, to his surprise, a neat restaurant he hadn’t visited before. Raising an eyebrow, he gave Quickshadow a sideways glance as she stood beside him and took his arm.

“Charming, isn’t it?” she remarked with the coy smile that made him feel just a little shy. “Let’s go; I have a hostess who’s waiting for us.”

“What? Why?” he demanded suspiciously.

“Can’t I treat you to a little something now and then?” she countered lightly.

“Well…sure, I guess, but why tonight?”

For the first time since they had left the complex, a faint sadness crossed her features, but she schooled them so quickly that High Tide wondered if he had imagined it. “Go on and tell her you’re with me; I’m going to be in the washroom, freshening up.”

“You look just fine, pearl,” he protested, resistant to the idea of going alone. “Just as good as always!”

“Prove it: if you don’t react when I come and sit down, I’ll know I simply can’t be any more chic and I’ll have to up my game,” Quickshadow replied cheerfully, standing on the tips of her struts to kiss the side of his faceplate before pulling him inside and directing him toward the hostess waiting. High Tide’s mouth twisted in distaste and Quickshadow laughed lightly. “I’ll see you soon.”

Despite her words, by the time she reemerged from the washroom, High Tide had scanned the holo-menu three times and fiddled with the edge of the table’s pseudo-cloth until its edges fritzed under his fingertips. He wasn’t naturally at ease in places like these, but once he looked up at her, his discomfort was forgotten entirely.

“Well?” she prompted innocently, smoothing her hands over the glossy lacquer she’d applied to her forearms and the base of her neck. The thin gold chains draped over her winglets jingled lightly as they fluttered hopefully and High Tide suddenly found it hard to swallow.

“I think you were right…” he managed as she sat across the table. “And wrong too. You couldn’t be prettier, but I’m…findin’ it a little difficult not to react.”

Laughing again, she assured him, “That was the point, dear.”

“But, y’know, I’m a little confused. What’s the occasion?”

“You know, don’t you?” Quickshadow questioned, tilting her helm. High Tide stared at her blankly and she huffed a little. “Stop pretending. You know exactly what this is about.”

“By the Primes’ honor, I’ve got no idea. I can’t read your mind, much as I wish I could,” he deadpanned, leaning forward expectantly and casting a shadow over the table. “Plan on helpin’ me catch on?”

Though Quickshadow’s expression didn’t change, her pretty beryl blue optics revealed how troubled she was by this. Pursing her lips, she glanced away and hailed a server. His confusion only growing, High Tide kept an optic on her as they ordered and refueled. Afterward, they fought half-sparkedly over the last rust stick provided and eventually he conceded to her.

“This’s been nice,” he mused with a half-smile. “I think I might end up likin’ this place.”

“Good; you deserve it, especially tonight,” she replied cryptically. Smile turning upside-down, High Tide instead gave her a pointed look that demanded an explanation and she nodded toward their server, who was reapproaching with what looked like a polonium spritzer. High Tide blinked at it for a few kliks and then the realization struck, hard enough that he flinched back ever so slightly in his seat.

“It’s your creation orn, isn’t it?” Quickshadow supplied. He may not have been a mind-reader, but she was proving to be rather good at it.

“Uh…yeh…” he whispered, optics flickering to the tabletop as a faintly incredulous smile threatened. He couldn’t remember the last time he had celebrated his creation, much less in a way that had mattered to him. When was the last time he had even laid optics on a polonium spritzer? That memory wasn’t readily available either. “I guess it is. How’d you know?”

“Well, not from you!” she scolded. “I have my sources, however, and I intend to keep them tucked in my back subspace in case there’s anything else I need to know about you.”

“You can just ask,” he retorted, leaning across the table to take her hand as the server set the drink down and retreated with a slight smile.

“And so can you,” she reminded him gently. “So…I'll ask first. What would you like for a present?”

“I-It’s not all this?” the seamech stammered.

“This was all the setup, love. _Now_ you can ask,” she offered, her face softening expectantly.

High Tide stared at her, openmouthed, trying not to reel from the fact that she had just called him “love.” He hadn’t expected to hear that word for a long, _long_ time to come, if at all, and here it was, just another unexpected surprise. It was more than a little overwhelming, he decided, ex-venting shakily.

“Just…can’t think of anythin’ else I’d want.”

“I can.” Half-rising from her seat, Quickshadow lightly tapped their chamfrons together. “Best wishes on your creation orn, sweet.” Lightly she kissed him and he squeezed her hand more tightly in response, wondering if he would ever find a way to see her coming. He hoped not.

**Author's Note:**

> For my Thursday oneshot, QuickTide fluff <3  
> I need these two together more than I thought possible, lol XD They're alike in many ways, enough that I don't think anyone else would see this side of them. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse!


End file.
